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The Influence of Active Carbon Supports Toward the Electrocatalytic Behavior of Fe3O4 Nanoparticles for the Extended Energy Generation of Mediatorless Microbial Fuel Cells

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Abstract

Magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles anchored over the different active carbon supports were developed by a simple wet solution method. The developed nanostructures were magnetically self-assembled over the electrode surface and exploited as anode catalysts in mediatorless microbial fuel cells (MFC). The morphological characterizations revealed that 3∼8-nm-sized Fe3O4 nanoparticles were homogeneously anchored over the different carbon matrices and the obtained diffraction patterns ensured the cubic inverse spinel structure of prepared Fe3O4 nanoparticles. The morphology, size, and structure of Fe3O4 nanoparticles anchored over the different active carbon supports were maintained identical, and the influence of active carbon support toward the effectual MFC performances was evaluated under various electrochemical regimes and conditions by using Escherichia coli as a catalytic microorganism. The electrochemical characterizations revealed that carbon nanotube (CNT)-supported Fe3O4 nanoparticles exhibited lower charge transfer resistance and high coulombic efficiency in comparison with the graphene and graphite nanofiber-supported composites. Among the studied anode catalysts, Fe3O4/CNT composite exhibited the maximum MFC power density of 865 mW m−2 associated with excellent durability performances, owing to the specific interaction exerted between the microorganisms and the Fe3O4/CNT composite. Thus, the binder-free electrode modification process, mediatorless environment, rapid electron transfer kinetics, high power generation, and long durability performances achieved for the developed system paved futuristic dimensions for the high performance MFCs.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by “Human Resources Program in Energy Technology” of the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning (KETEP), granted financial resource from the Ministry of Trade, Industry & Energy, Republic of Korea. (No. 20134030200330). This work was supported by the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), New Delhi, India - Major Project Grant No. EMR/2015/000912.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Engineering, Specialized Graduate School, School of Semiconductor and Chemical Engineering, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, 561-756, Republic of Korea

    In Ho Park, Pil Kim & Kee Suk Nahm

  2. Department of Physical Chemistry, School of Chemistry, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai, 625-021, Tamil Nadu, India

    G. Gnana kumar

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  1. In Ho Park
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  2. Pil Kim
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Correspondence to G. Gnana kumar or Kee Suk Nahm.

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Park, I.H., Kim, P., Gnana kumar, G. et al. The Influence of Active Carbon Supports Toward the Electrocatalytic Behavior of Fe3O4 Nanoparticles for the Extended Energy Generation of Mediatorless Microbial Fuel Cells. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 179, 1170–1183 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-016-2057-0

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